2009 The year that was

I can honestly say that 2009 has been the worst year I can remember! Four jobs, not alot of money, a holiday that wasn't what i'd hoped for and a current job i'm not over the moon with.

At the end of january I lost my job with Phil at PSA Properties, this was a direct result of the credit crunch and couldn't be avoided, I also lost Phil as a best mate, this is a whole different story, one i'm not ready to tell yet. Things are definately beyond repair in that friendship, oh well, It took the whole of february to find a job, this gave me time to have a good time with Elizabeth especially in the big snow we had that month.

The job I got was a temp position at a local ladder manufacturer, it was bloody hard work, working through the night on a 12 hour shift. In all fairness it was good not having to use my brin, just make back legs for step ladders!

May saw us go on holiday to Thailand, in all fairness we shouldn't have gone, money was tight and because of this we didn't have the holiday we wanted. This also conicided with my weight loss, over the year i've lost 18kg and 2 waist sizes. Sounds good, but i'm not sure what is causing it. Anyway I get back from holiday, went into work only to find out the temp agency had lost the contract and I was again jobless.

Luckily I was only out of work for a few weeks. I got a job with a agricultural farm building company, originally set on to erect the buildings, but eventually used to project manage the builds and sell the buildings. The company was busy, unfortunately busy because they were under selling the buildings, making a loss. This was obviously a business going no where fast and just after my birthday at the end of august they were forced to close down owing a load of cash.

Out of work again, luckily I found a job the same day with a supplier of the company, this company as since been taken over and whilst things do seem to be on the up, I can no longer feel secure in a job and never take anything for granted.

Elizabeth keeps on being an excellent child, she gets better and better. Her nursery is bringing her along in a great way. She can be naughty at times and she does find Nuch and I boring compared to nursery. We have begun to enrol her in a primary school, even though its twenty months away, the school we wnt for her is always over subscribed, so the early bird.....

Thailand as been in the news alot this year and not usually for the best reason. Everything from Political tension, poor economy, security problems and very poor human rights. The tourist industry is in a real downturn, when we were ther in may/june, some of the beaches were deserted. Whether we go back next year will depend on a number of factors.

I really hope that 2010 will be a better year, it can't be much worse than 2009!!!

Christmas is coming

Well, it's the week before Christmas and everything is organised. I have never been so well prepared for a Christmas before. The turkey is bought and more importantly so is the booze.

I break up from work on Wednesday and font go back until Jan 4th, so I'm looking forward to a good time off.

The weather is blinking cold and we have had a little bit of snow today, this means we may have a white Christmas this year........

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Bad boat crash

Today in Pattaya there was a head on boat crash just a few hundred metres off shore.

A boat with twenty Taiwanese tourists coming back from an island called Koh Larn, they were confronted head by a smaller high speed boat coming straight at them, unfortunately both boats turned the same way and a collision occured. The tourist boat sank pretty much straight away and two of the tourists sadly drowned. Two more are in a serious state, 14 others had to be treated for minor injuries.

This follows on from several watersport accidents this year, although nothing seems to have been done to curb the dangerous antics of some of the banana boat mafia. Maybe now, something will happen!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

no more parcels, were British

Today the MOD informed the general public to stop sending parcels to armed forces personel based abroad.

It as become a bit of a tradition to send a goody parcel to a "British Soldier in Afganistan". from what I've heard the squaddies really appreciate these random acts of kindness, proving that people back home do care about them. These parcels usually contain soaps, stationery and food goodies.

I can see why in the run up to Christmas it would be best not to send the parcels so their friends and families presents can get through to them, but for the rest of the year all parcels should be allowed. The MOD says the extra parcels mean more flights all over the world putting flight crews in extra danger. I put it that it's some petty beauracrat is trying to save a few quid!

I bet the bloke who thought of this new edit won't be on the front line over the holiday period and they'll have all there parcels.....

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Red Bull UK

Red Bull have released what they call a shot. It is similar to the original Red Bull you get in Thailand.

Thailand was the birth place of red bull and it comes on a small 200ml brown bottle and as the consistency of cough mixture. It also as a mega kick on the energy front.

The UK version is a weak comparison and as a little kick. The biggest difference as usual is the price. In Thailand it cost 19p a bottle and the smaller bottle in the UK is nearly £2 for a smaller shot. As usual rip off Britian!!!

So on conclusion, find a Thai or Chinese importer and get a real Red Bill and don't wage money on a more expensive, lower grade alternative....

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Hate Day

Its only 8.20am and I have addedtwo more people to my hate list.


First are my previous employer's, or more precisely Darren Bullock. This is the hard faced little shit who through his inability to run a company left me without a job a few weeks back. This scum owes me salary and expenses and despite promises of them being paid, they won't be. Yesterday he phoned up out of the blue and informed me the company was in the hands of the receivers and I was now a creditor and would have to go through the receivers to get any money. We all know that means no money. I have some of Coverall's tools at home and was waiting to hear from Bollock how to get them back. He told me they had told the receiver that I have the tools and they were in the pot for sale and i'd better not do anything with them. At that point I put the phone down, muttering the words "Revenge is a dish best served cold". I will wait to hear from the receivers as to what my next move will be.


The thing that really pissed me off was he made no attempt to apologise for the fact he had screwed up and very was super arsy on the phone, oh well thats what you get for working with kids! Last night I was contacted by one of the twenty or so people they swindled out of deposit money and I was asked if I would cooperate with a criminal investigation that is being launched into the whole affair, in light of the days conversation, what could I do but say "Yes".....

Update, I have had to swallow slot of pride this week, DB is now working with me so I have had to learn to live with him...........



Also, there is a little known CELEB CHEF on TV called James Martin, he is one "up his own arse bloke". A second rate chef and third rate as a celebrity. He as come out and said how much he hates cyclists and how on one occassion whilst testing an electric car he deliberately caused a crash in a bunch of cyclist. He is a Jeremy Clarkson wannabe, Jeremy Clarkson, you know he is a sad bitter old bloke who is jealous of anybody with a life. But to pretend to be him whilst cooking a fish dish is really sad.


So to you Mr. Martin, come round to my house and tell me you hate cyclist's and you'll end up with more than egg on your face.


Too much negativity for one day, although it is still young......

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

blogging from my iPhone

I'm in the process of begining to post blogs from my iPhone. At the moment I can't post pictures, but it does mean I can post when I'm not in front of my laptop.

This whole process should make for more posts.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Still Alive

I know, I know, its been nearly two months since my last blog.

The main reason for this as been work, the last two months have been super stressful and have occupied most of thoughts. The guy who owned the company is in the process of going bust and can't own a company. A friend of his as a company stashed away and all us employee's are being transferred over to the new company. Confused? I am.

After all this, the new company does seem to be going in the right direction and over the last few weeks cash flow and bill paying have got loads better. Having said that I did resign last monday because of interference from the old boss.

Its been a fun time at home, we have had had Halloween, Belper Fair and Bonfire night. All were great and Elizabeth loved them.

Thailand is going through its fair share of troubles as usual, Ex PM Thaksin is at the heart of them. He as been given a job as economic advisor for Cambodia. The Thai goverment are spitting feathers. There have been protests and counter protests. The thai goverment seems to have lost the complete mandate from the Thai people outside of Bangkok and probably the majority in the capital.

Below I have put up a few photos of stuff that as happened and I promise to post more regually.

Threats!!!

Today I received a phone call from the Father of a former employer, not the run of the mill call but I will knock the living shit out of you if you don't give me tools back you have of my sons! Also anyone who gets in my way and your family will also get it.

The background of the story is, I have several tools and a set of laddres from this former employer. I will give them back when they give me my salary they owe me. They have put me in touch with the goverment compensation scheme, but nothing will happen this time of christmas. So i've decided they won't get their tools till then.

I had to call the Police and in all fairness, they came straight round to the house and took a statement and told me they will have a word with this thug. Also my current employer had a word with the thug and calmed him down.

I hate dealing with people using the laws of the jungle and at the end of the day I wont put my family in jeopardy. In the same breathe I dont want to give in to bullies, i'm sick of doing this....

Ladyboy problems in Thailand

One dead Indian Tourist at the hand of a Ladyboy.

Thailand is always linked with Ladyboys or "Kateoys". The whole scene is pretty well linked to the sex industry in Thailand. Generally, Ladyboys are seen in shows or a dance routines in bars.

However in Bangkok in the tourist areas such as Sukhumvit Road, there have been 100's of incidents involving crime. These range from pick pocketting, muggings and druggings. When men pay to go with the Ladyboys or a Ladyboy approaches you with a view to mug you, what you have to remember is your fighting a bloke and in most cases they hunt in pairs and packs.

In Pattaya yesterday, two Indian blokes took two ladyboys back to their rooms, it looks like they were both drugged and were robbed. Unfortunately one them reacted badly to the drug and died in his Hotel room. What the Fuck they were doing with ladyboys in their room I dont know! But you dont expect to die do you?

The only real bit of trouble I had in Thailand was telling a guy on the MRT that two ladyboys next to him were trying to pick his pocket. When i'd told him the two sweet hearts then started on me, when I reacted by grabbing one of them by the throat and up against a wall he started crying like a woman. Being the soft touch I am I let him go, so what did the prat do? Started on me again. So had to find a copper to get these stupid pricks off me........

Be warned, LAdyboys have a bad rep in the sex industry, so dont play with fire.

Elizabeth is 3

Today was Elizabeth's actual birthday. Nuch and I had a day off work and took Elizabeth to Derby.

She had a load of clothes from Next, a Minnie Mouse from the Disney shop and I bought a proper set of golf clubs.

I still can't believe I have a child and even more un-believable is the fact that she is three years old.

Elizabeth loves golf, this set is a little to big for her, but in twenty years time when she is on the pro circuit and supporting her poor old Mum & Dad.

Elizabeths 3rd Birthday Party

Today Elizabeth had her 3rd birthday party in the field next to us.

There were around twenty children and twenty adults. Nuch had been stressing in the kitchen all week and could have done with more help in the kitchen.

In the same breathe I needed help at the party, at one point I was barbequing, drink dispensing, and organising a pass the parcel comp at the same time.

I think the children enjoyed the organised chaos, Elizabeth did and that is all that matters. Once the children had dispersed the adults took over and a camp fire was soon built. The next day I had a black bag full of empties, so it must have been a good night.

Derby Eye

Today, Elizabeth and I went on the Derby Eye. This portable 80m high version of the famous London Eye is in Derby Market Place for a month.

You get an excellent view of the centre of Derby including the Market Hall and the Cathedral. The cost is £5 for adults and your'e on for about 15 minutes.

Red Peace Yellow Violent

Bangkok was holding its breath today as 20000 red shirt UDD supporters marched through the Saman Luang area of Bangkok.

Despite torrential rain the Red Shirts met to remind Thailand it was three years ago this weekend the Military ousted their popular figure head Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup. The protest went off un scathed and the red shirts earned alot of respect from the powers that be.

On the other hand the Yellow shirted PAD protesters have been stirring up a massive stink at the disputed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian border. Thailand is pissed that Cambodia stole a march on them and got the UN to say the temple is in Cambodia. The Thai's do have a point, as far as I can tell the temple is in Thailand, but the grounds are in Cambodia.

Anyway, this year there have been clashes between the two armies resulting in several deaths. Now PAD want to claim the temple back by force, unfortunately a load of riot police and local villagers didn't agree with them. The yellow shirted band of thugs or guards as they are known forced their way into the area, shooting a couple of the villagers and generally throwing their weight around.

From the beginning of the unrest in Thailand, PAD have bullied and arrayed their way to their own means, hopefully normal Thai people will see them for what they are.

Big Trouble in Thailand

Last Night on Bravo TV the second part of a very controversial TV series aired.

"Big Trouble in Thailand" is a series about the crime that occurs in the resorts of Thailand, looking at it through the eyes of the Volunteer Foreign Police Force. This group of do gooders are seen at all the busy Thai resorts. They are there to help foreigners in dealins with the law and sometimes get in on the act when arrests are made. In all fairness some of the people seemed to be very helpful and sorted many problems out.

Last night it followed a teenage english girl caught with some weed, drugs in Thailand "A BIG NO NO" She was caught with her boyfriends stash and spent a night in prison and was lucky to get away with a suspended sentence. She deserved all she got, you don't do drugs in Thailand!!!

Last week there was a controversial scene on Patong beach on Phucket, an english marine rented a jet ski. The scam is that the jet ski is on its last legs, a mark borrows it, it breaks down and they have to pay mega bucks to get it repaired or the law gets involved. Unfortunately the law is involved with the actual scam. The marine was having none of it, then the Thai renter pulls a gun and makes the guy pay up. All this was filmed and aired last week.

The local police commander is furios, not with the scammer!!!! He is seriously pissed at the makers of the program and as vowed to arrest any Thai person involved with the program. Talk about ignoring an issue and blame the foreigners, this takes the biscuit.

The next show is on Bravo next monday night at 10pm.

The world is crazy!!

In Brazil. An italian tourist as been arrested for kissing his daughter!

Brazil has very strict laws on under age sex and paedophiles, the poor guy who was playing with his daughter in a hotel pool was seen to give her a kiss on the lips. A couple reported this to the police who came and arrested the tousrist and threw him in the klink.

The couple who reported the incident later said they didn't realise that he was the father of the child. Unfortunaltely the father is still in prison and attempts to release him have failed.

So I for one will probably never visit Brazil, just in case Elizabeth decides to give me a kiss as she sometimes does on the spur of the moment......

Playing with my camara

Since buying my new Sony D-SLR, i've rediscovered photography. I'm always on the look out for a good shot.

The above picture was taken over looking Barmston beach at 7.30am, just after sun rise. The water on the beach reflects the water in a metallic sort of way and the number of shades in the clouds make for a good photo.

Autumn Break

This weekend we went to my Mum's Caravan on the east coast near Bridlington.

The weather on saturday was superb and we spent all afternoon on the beach in the sun. You could tell that summer is over, the breeze was a little stiff and the sea was freezing!!!

Elizabeth loved it, playing with her "castle's" on the beach, she would have been there till 10pm if we let her.

Well done Steve Peat

In he early hours of this morning in Canbarra Australia, Steve Peat from Sheffield won the mountain biking World downhill championship.

When I was cycling fifteen years ago I got to know Steve through the races we did together and the races that I organised. He is a all good bloke and after finishinf in silver medal position four times, a gold is more than deserved.

Steve projects the image as a hard racing and hard apres drinker, but at the end of the day, only a serious athlete gets to become world champion in this type of discipline.

WELL DONE STEVE!!!!!

Airport Rail at last

Since the opening of the new Savarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok a long awaited rail link to the city is nearly ready.

The SRT will run from the Airport to the centre of Bangkok and then on the the BTS (Skytrain) and the MRT (Underground). At the moment it is quite a drag into town by an expensive taxi ride, This ride can also be dangerous to your health. Most of the driver have skant respect for other peoples lives.

The fare will only be 150 baht and will run every five minutes, if they operate as good as the BTS and MRT then the ride should be excellent. I can't wait to try the new train....

The official opening will be on the Kings Birthday on December 5th.

Sex on the Beach

Friday night saw an Iranian couple caught up in a bit of sexy antics on Jontiem Beach in Pattaya. Whilst a large crowd looked on and took pictures. A spoilt sport copper then broke the fun up and escorted the couple to the cop shop. They were both told off and given a 500 baht fine each. The end of the story you might think?

Oh no, back in sunny Terran, the Mulla's are well pissed off and the talk is of stonings when the couple get back, well for the woman anyway. The bloke will probably get a pat on the back.

Just goes to show that even rigid strict Muslims like to let their hair down occassionally. Maybe next week two Jovi witness's will be caught in a lady boy sting......

Pattaya Death Toll August 2009

A very, very slow month. This is good in one way as it means there are fewer deaths, but it also means it is super quiet in Pattaya and as such throughout Thailand.

This month one German was blown apart by a hand grenade in what the police are calling a business vendetta murder.

Hopefully the deaths will calm down, although germans still seem to be the most affected nation.

Bank Holiday Monday

With a day off work, we went to Chatsworth House. Actually we went to the Farm Yard. It was brill, there were loads of animals to look at and touch. A huge play area which had these amazing manual diggers.

We had a super picnic with Gary, Fon and Emily and I treated Elizabeth to a fishing net. We tried to catch some fish when we got back home, but the fish weren't at home.

The farm costs £5.50 for adults and £5.80 for kids over 3.

My iPhone

I've had my iphone now for 16 months now. Having any phone for this length of time is a miracle, I swap and change phones like socks.

The touch screen is so easy to use and the phone as the full mp4 features of the ipod Touch. All data as to be put on the phone via itunes which isn't always easy. You can store up to 8GB of data, i've got over 700 photos on mine and the way you can do this in several good ways.

With the iphone you can download applications from itunes, i;ve got around 50 apps on the phone. Ranging from games measuring devises and data and information storage.

Downsides include no MMS and no video. I have downloaded a video app to cope with this.

The thing I use the most is the wi-fi facility, if Nuch is using the lap top, I can use the wi=fi to get on to the internet, well sweet!

The only phone I will replace it with is a new iphone 3G S!

Fired, Hired again

I couldn;t believe it when I got to work this morning. The Boss was away and his brother and Dad were there.

I've known for a few weeks that things weren't going well. The farm sheds that were being sold had been sold to cheaply. There was no money left in the pot and I was told my services were no longer required, basically "Fuck off"!

This is the third time i've lost my job this year!!!!!

Luckily I had been in touch with one of the companies suppliers, I spoke to him this morning and he told me to spend the afternoon in the office. At the end of the afternoon he said he;d see me tomorrow. Which I guess means i've got a job.

One year older

Today was my birthday, 43 years old and counting!

I have to give Nuch her due, she tried to make it a day I would remember. However Elizabeth had other ideas, she told me about my card, when I walked through the door this evening she couldn't wait to show me what her Mum had done in the front room (see picture). Also she told me Mummy had bought Daddy a cake. Good old Elizabeth.

Nuch bought me a superb watch, the best watch i've had!!!!

Natural History Museum

Today we visited the Natural History Museum in London. Its the first time Nuch as been to London and in all fairness she wasn't that impressed!

The Museum was excellent, the dinasour section was well cool. Some of the animatronics on display were top notch, very life like. The life size models of whales, rhino's and elephants give you a better idea what something like a Blue Whale is compared to humans.

Get there early, the ques when we came out were over 40 mins to get in.

The South Kensingtontube station is the closest undergorund station and admission is free.

Possible D-Day for Thailand

Tomorrow will see a possible make or break day for Thailand. A petition is to be handed in to the goverment signed by millions of Thai's for the pardon of ex PM Thaksin Shinawatra. This supported by the Red shirted UDD. Opposing them wearing blue shirts are people who are supposedly sick of the troubles and are determind to put the red shirts to the sword. The blue shirts have been accused of being the muscle for the yellow shirted PAD party who gained notoriety last year by closing off the airport and causing shocking problems to the Thai economy to this day.

Mix into this divisions of police who are looking for revenge on the red shirts after being bailed out by the army in march when the red shirts took to the streets. this whole cocktail is looking bad. Nuch's Mum as said she is going out in support of the red shirts, we both hope she stays well clear, but if someone like Nuch's Mum is prepared to demonstrate that gives you a feel for how bad things are.

The new PM who through the Democrat party is alligned to the Yellow shirts. He seems to be doing a ok job, but as no clear mandate from the people. He can't go to the [poles because he will loose to the party that supports Thaksin. If this party gets in then the yellow shirts won't except this and we'll be back to square one.

I have said before and i'll say it again, the only way to possibly solve this is for the King of Thailand to come out and dissolve parliament and then urge everyone to have a fair election and abide by the result. Sadly, will never happen.

BNP Scum

Very locally the fascist political party BNP held a summer rally. Great! that bunch of rasist thugs on the door step.

There was a counter rally by "Unite against Fascism" The too ing and throwing of these two groups must have caused hell for the local residents. People in this country have a right to protest as do the counter protestors.

I hope to god that people like the BNP don't gain much more of a foothold in british life, this could directly affect my family!

New Belper River Gardens

The River Gardens at Belper have been a focal point of town life for over a century, the gardens have always been a place to relax and eed the ducks. In Summer thay have bands playing and a play area for kids. I know! it all sounds corny, but its not.

All this summer, they have been closed for refurbishment and aren't due to open till the end o the month. Too cut a long story short, Elizabeth and I gate crashed a few weeks early. The photo's below show what is install for any visitors.

Sunday Walk

Elizabeth and I have taken to taking a regular walk on sunday, this week we walked up to a local donkey sanctuary, then on to the beautiful Beaurepaire Gardens and finally on to the River Gardens by the river at Belper.

It's probably only a mile or so, but on a sunny day and at the pace that Elizabeth walks it takes a few hours.

The Mighty Rams 2009

Championship Table
Saturday, 8 August 2009 19:31 UK
P GD PTS
1 Cardiff 1 4 3
2 Derby 1 1 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 Leicester 1 1 3
4 Barnsley 1 0 1
5 Bristol City 1 0 1
6 Preston 1 0 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7 Sheff Wed 1 0 1
8 Blackpool 1 0 1
9 Crystal Palace 1 0 1
10 Doncaster 1 0 1
11 Newcastle 1 0 1
12 Plymouth 1 0 1
13 QPR 1 0 1
14 Watford 1 0 1
15 West Brom 1 0 1
16 Middlesbrough 1 0 1
17 Nottm Forest 1 0 1
18 Reading 1 0 1
19 Sheff Utd 1 0 1
20 Coventry 0 0 0
21 Ipswich 0 0 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

22 Peterborough 1 -1 0
23 Swansea 1 -1 0
24 Scunthorpe 1 -4 0

This is the state of play at the end of the first week of this years Championship League. The mighty Rams are in second place and are bound to be promoted this year, to go on and win the premiership by may 2011, the Champions league in 2012 and then total global domination by the end of 2013.

It could happen!!!!!!

Network Rail, Go fuck yourself!

For the last four nights I have been awoken at 1am by workers on the railway line at the back of our house. All work carried out on the lines is authorised by Network Rail. So being as my only course for re-dress is my blog, i'll just say again:

Fuck Off Network Rail

I have tried phoning and emailing them, all to no avail. If it happens tonight I will be getting tough! Especially if i've had a few pints.

They are cutting trees down with chainsaw's and then mulching the branches up, its a bloody noisy process and doesn't stop till 3.30am.

Prick splitter

A strange but all to often occurance was aired on the popular Pattaya One News feed today, A man reported to the main Pattaya Hospital with half his dick hanging off!

He claims to of been woken up with the wound already in place, the cut was very deep. Unfortunately this is a very common occurance in Thailand. It seems Thai women believe in the old saying "Revenge is a dish best served cold". Stories like this are common place, so if your'e married to a Thai woman, you'd better be careful.

Oh shit! I am.......

Get the full story at Pattaya One

New Job

I've been at my new job just over a month and boy has it been a turbulant month!!!

I was originally taken on as a steel and cladder erector, well now I seem to have become an office woller and roving salesman. This in all fairness suits me, (i'm getting to old for seriously hard graft, the body won't take it)

Don't get me wrong, i've had several 12 hour shifts on site and been up to my knees in shit. Having shingles hasn't helped the cause. My two bosses are VERY young guys and the environment in the office is very fluid, i'm sure it will calm down soon.

The picture above was taken at a farm in the deepest darkest part of the Peak District, a job I want to forget very quickly.

Thai baht movement

With very small green shoots showing themselves in the UK economy, this as prompted the GB Pound to actively become stronger, with the £1 at $1.70.

In the last three months the £1 as increased by over 10% against the Thai Baht. It now stands at 57.5 baht to the pound, still a long way from the high of 75 baht five years ago. Long may it continue, if it continues to strengthen then I may begin importing stuff from Thailand to sell again.

Scam Thailand

The King Power Duty Free shop at Bangkok Airport, don't look or touch just in case.

Yet again, Thailand is in the news for the wrong reason, the mononity of these kind of stories is getting depressing.

The latest is the Ziog Zag scam at the new airport at Bangkok. Basically, with little cause you can be accused of shop lifting from one of the duty free shops run by King Power. Whether you are guilty or not. In one case a professional couple from the UK were taken to the local nick when it looked like the lady had put some make up in her bag. Once in the cell they were given an interprrtor who explained that normal Thai justice could take weeks and months, but for a large sum of money the charge could be brought forward and evryone would be happy. So this couple went to the ATM and transferred the rest of the money.

They were released and the charges were dropped. Upon their return to the UK they contacted the BBC and spalshed the news nationally. This bought a flood of other tales on the same subject, in one case the large sum of money direct into the top coppers bank accounts.

What as the Thai goverment done about this? Nothing!!!! as usual. Sod foreigners, we only need their holiday cash, tough if they get ripped off.

Pattaya death toll July 2009

This month began with a flurry and sort of wimped out. Using www.pattayaone.net as a source the biggest up turn is the chance of being mugged at night on Beach Road by Lady Boys, the incidents have gone way up this last few months!!

July 2009
Road Deaths 1 (1 Morrocan)
Murder
Suicide
Natural 5 (1 Swede, 2 German, 1 Norwegian, 1 Belgium)

Total for 2009
Road Deaths 3 (2 Brits, 1 Morrocan)
Murder 3 (2 Brits, 1 unknown)
suicide 5 (1 Aussie, 1 Dutch, 1 Irish, 1 German, 1 Yank)
Natural 20 (4 Brits, 3 Swede, 1 Dane, 3 Yanks, 7 German, 1 Belguim, 1 Norwegian)

Not so good for the Germans!!!!

Rick Stein's cookery program

Famous cornish chef and restaurantor Rick Stein is currently doing a series on BBC2 about the food and people of south east asia.

Last night Rick was in Thailand, he visited Bangkok and Phucket. It was actually an excellent program and really showed Thai life as I know it. The food he cooked made me miss Thailand and wanting Nuch to cook more of it.

The series can be caught on BBC iplayer, if you haven't used this service before, its good.

http://bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search/?q=Rick%20Stein's%20Far%20Eastern%20Odyssey

This will be available for 3 more weeks on i-player.

Working for a living

I like to think Nuch and I are bringing Elizabeth up ok. At the moment she as no concept of money, only that we have to save pennies to buy her things.

This weekend she helped me clean the car, she actually did help and got wet in the process and for this service I gave her £1.00

Trouble was the following day she wanted to clean it again to get her money.

Kin' Shingles

Last night I diagnosed myself with shingles. It startes with what I thought was a pulled muscle in my back and when I swallowed I could feel every gulp!

I had a a row of large spots on my chest and back which I put down to sweat and hard mucky work. Out of the blue I thought about shinles, I looked on Wikipedia and my symptoms matched.

Christ its painful!!!!!

I didn't realise that its a nervous complaint, when you have stress and your body is run down, the last six months has been very stressful and my new job is very strssful at the moment. Hopefully in 3 - 4 weeks the spots should subside and i'll be back to normal.

Elizabeth is mobile

Months ago I promised Elizabeth that when she did a poo on the big toilet, I would buy her a bike, well the deed as been done and the bike as been bought.

She loves the bike and took to it straight away, better buy some pads to go with her helmet.

Four Years on

I started this blog just over four years ago and 528 posts later its still going. I've ried different formats and different blog sites, but I think i'll stick with this one now.

The first entry was a bit ropey (they still are), I wanted to show pople my life, the best post that year was left till the end, with my review of the year.

2006 was the year my life changed for ever with the birth of Elizabeth, she is without doubt the best thing to happen to me, also that year I lived through a military coup, luckily bloodless.

2007 saw the big move back to the UK, with Nuch following me a few months later. I wuld like to think Nuch was happy over here, but I think her heart is still in Thailand, as you would expect.

A nice stable year was 2008, Elizabeth grew up quickly and fell down just as easy. Thailand was never far out of the news, fresh troubles with politics and civil unrest.

2009 hasn't been the best year so far, hopefully all that will change soon, I have a new job with a new, young company. We have been back to Thailand and stayed at the Dusit Thani in Hua Hin. Possibly the finest hotel I have been to, visit it if you ever get chance. Thailand is again in the news and not for the right reasons. Please sort it out soon, its killing your country.

So here's to next four years, although i've stopped looking ahead tha far now.

Chokchai Steakhouse

Chokchai is a superb steak house chain in Thailand, they have a farming project near Khao Yai and luckily for me, a restaurant near Future Park in Rangsit. They also have a restaurant in Bangkok, on Sukhumvi soi 23.

It has a sort of western/farming theme and sometimes can be very full and you'll have to wait. They have three types of steaks. They are your run of the mill steak, then better quality meat which is what I usually have and then a steak that as been hung and dried for a good time and supposedly tastes fantastic. Pretty pointless for me, I like my steak well done.

They also do Salmon, Chicken, Lamb and Pork, all very nie and servd with chips or jacket potato,my favourite is the T-Bone, they're massive and taste superb.

One thing not to miss is the homemade milk ice cream, sooo nice!

Cav does it again

Mark Cavandish won stage 3 of the Tour de France today!

His team were superb, so good that they split the field and gained 41 secs on the main bunch. The hand up to the ears victory salute which Mark performed, was for the benefit of one of his team sponsors HTC. Should get a shiny new phone for that one.

Well done Mark.

Maybe justice in Thailand

It was annouced today that the organisers of last years shut down of the two Bangkok Airports are to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Basically committing acts of terrorism against the state.

The foreign minister, a top general and the leader of the new yellow shirt political party have all been named. At first sight you think that Thailand is at last making somebody pay for the disruption. However this is Thailand, the current PM is courting votes in the North and wants to show he is doing something against the yellow shirts, also the yellow shirts have just started a political party and would be an excellent rubbishin tactic.

I'll show my arse in Burtons window if anyone of substance is actually bought to account, even though in any other country they would have the book thrown at them.